This is the definitive guide to what's hot in the world of cake in 2023. I don't need to explain why cake is so important to a culture, but I will. The cake is always welcome. It is required for any special occasion.
Cake, cake, and more cake. The cake is synonymous with joy. It bridges linguistic, cultural, and socioeconomic divides. Everyone enjoys cake. Cutting the cake is a defining moment in any celebration; cake-eating brings people together, and cake-making is therapeutic.
Now that that's out of the way, why should you read this cake trend list over others? Because it is founded on our 12-year trading history and my extensive industry knowledge. Not the work of a freelance content writer or a blogger. It is based on our hard-coded numbers and data from over a decade. I've seen cake trends emerge, set a few myself (hello, cake croquembouche on the cover of TimeOut), and caught a few dies, with some even resurfacing.
You're still here, which is good. Let's get started.
1. FAKE BAKES
I apologize for bringing up the Cost of Living Crisis. It cannot be ignored. According to national statistics, the crisis impacts the spending habits of 9/10 of us. Our energy bills have quadrupled without warning, and we feel the pinch. So, how does one make a smashing cake without using an oven? Of course, you fake bake!
What exactly is phony baking? It's when you buy ready-made supermarket cakes, frosting in a tub, and readily available decorations to make a visually appealing cake centrepiece. A home-baked cake will never taste as good as one made from scratch. However, with more people looking to save energy (air fryer sales have increased by 3000%), creating a show-stopping cake without turning on the oven is becoming increasingly popular.
Even celebrities have caught the fake-baking bug; comedian Victoria Emes credits us with inspiring her, and I am so proud of her! Stacey Solomon, a national sweetheart, is also a fan of phony baking.
2. CAKE SPONGE BAKING WITH OIL
This year, the price of butter has risen by up to 26%. Asda has begun to include electronic security tags on their 750g Lurpak tubs, which retail for a whopping £6.
We saw this coming and are pleased to have switched our butter- and oil-based recipes. To keep our sponges moist and tender for longer, we developed our Hero Sponge Recipe.
However, we discovered that switching to oil instead of butter resulted in a two-pronged savings effect: saving on the actual cost of butter and eliminating the need for expensive caster sugar to cream with the butter. We saved even more money by switching to standard granulated sugar, 66% cheaper than caster sugar.
Hero Sponge outperforms butter-based sponge because it contains flavorful buttermilk or yogurt, making the crumb texture soft and fluffy. Since I made our trade secret public, it's gained cult status, and the recipe is now printed on a mug!
3. INCLUDED CAKES
As people become more aware of dietary restrictions and options, the demand for all-inclusive recipes grows. A children's party with 20-30 children is bound to have a few dietary restrictions. Some schools have even prohibited birthday cake delivery due to allergen concerns. It makes even more sense now that our Gluten & Dairy Free and Vegan Hero Sponge recipes are as popular as our original version. We've created the holy grail of free-from- everything - Gluten, Dairy, Egg, Nut, and Soya Free - Hero Sponge recipe- in response to the increased demand for free-from recipes and the popularity of our hero sponge recipe.
4. COMIC CAKES
This trend that has taken over Instagram and TikTok is ideal for bringing joy into a challenging new year for many. With its "Is it Cake?" appeal, it's impossible not to smile.
A comic cake is decorated with thin lines of black buttercream to resemble a funny book-style 3D graphic. It's the polar opposite of the Bridgerton style's overly ornate vintage-style piping, and I love it.
5. KINDLE BUENO CAKES
The best part of a Kinder Bueno bar is the creamy, gooey, sweet, and nutty filling. Stuff that fills between cake layers melts over the cake, pump into the buttercream and injected into the sponge layers. It's similar to crack but better for you. Because you'd have to go through countless Bueno bars to scoop out minuscule filling, Morrisons and other supermarkets have spotted this trend and released White Chocolate Hazelnut spread jars. And they need help to keep up with the demand.